2014 marks Recyclebank's 10th year of inspiring and rewarding smarter, everyday choices for a more sustainable future. Founded in 2004, the company set out with a simple idea: could education and incentives get people to recycle more?
After bringing millions of people together with more than 2,500 local and national businesses over the last ten years, Recyclebank knows the answer is a definitive yes.
Today, the company partners with more than 300 communities across the United States who recycled nearly 1.5 billion pounds of waste in 2013 alone. Recyclebank members also took more than 21.6 million green actions for a total of $60 million in rewards value earned in 2013, achieving real-world impact.
"Recyclebank was developed to change the way we think about sustainability and recycling. We believe that personal actions, can and do make a big difference; that people prefer the carrot over the stick when it comes sustainability. After ten years of rewarding people for recycling, I'm thrilled by the progress we have made!" said Javier Flaim, CEO of Recyclebank. "Our ten year anniversary is not just a celebration for Recyclebank, but a celebration for those communities, brands and partners who have worked tirelessly to truly make an impact on local recycling rates and ultimately, pave the way for a greener future."
Recyclebank's partnerships with communities have been the foundation of its business.
The City of Philadelphia was the company's first pilot program in 2004 and ten years later the relationship stands strong. The City's commitment to sustainability, innovation and community outreach has been the driving factors of success over the past ten years.
Philadelphia recently renewed its relationship with Recyclebank, continuing the award winning Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program.
Since expanding the program to all Philadelphia residents in 2010, combined with the City's recycling innovations including weekly single-stream collection and increased community outreach and education, the City has seen a 29 percent lift in diversion rate, which corresponds to over $11 million in avoided disposal costs and increased commodity revenue.
The Philadelphia Recycling Rewards program has steadily grown since launch with more than 36 percent of Philadelphia residents now participating.
Recyclebank is also excited to welcome Sharon Hill, Pa. Sharon Hill will be the first community in Delaware County, Pa. to partner with Recyclebank and will launch on September 15.
Not only has Recyclebank inspired millions of green actions resulting in billions of pounds recycled material, but it's also been at the forefront of recycling education.
Ensuring that youth are empowered and have the resources to become green superheroes, Recyclebank launched the Green Schools Program in 2007. Since inception, the program has granted close to $450,000 to more than 150 schools across the country.
Building on Recyclebank's expertise in sustainability and their members' increasing desire for products that are gentle on the planet, on Earth Day 2014, the company launched One Twine, an online shop to discover carefully vetted products that are better for your home, your wallet and the planet.
Since its debut, the shop has added over 1,000 additional products from companies like Bambeco, WeWOOD and West Paw Design. With so many labels, certifications and marketing messages, Recyclebank saw that people were becoming lost in a sea of products and knew there was a better way for people to source sustainable items.
With an exciting ten years completed, billions of pounds recycled and millions of green actions taken, Recyclebank is looking toward the next ten years of innovation to help even more people and communities create a more sustainable future.
For more information, visit the RecycleBank website.